Yarn processing reel having inter-drum baffle



April 7, 1959 T. s. MATTER YARN PROCESSING REEL HAVING INTER-DRUM BAFFLE Filed Oct. 4. 1955 United States-Patent YARN PROCESSING REEL HAVING INTER-DRUM BAFFLE Theodore S. Matter, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 4, 1955, Serial No. 538,375 Claims. (Cl. 68205) The present invention relates to apparatus for liquid treating a running filament of textile material and more particularly to an improved separating baffle used in con junction with the conventional canted wash drums.

Where it is desired to use a plurality of processing solutions on wash drums over which one or more strands of yarn progress axially, it is highly desirable to confine the various solutions to the particular axial treating zones along the drums in which each solution is desired to be used. Splashing and carryover from one zone to another reduce the effectiveness of the solutions, increase waste and lower the product quality. The present invention therefore has for its primary object, the provision of an improved baffie or separator for the various liquid treating zones which is simple and inexpensive to manufac- I ture and which provides maximum separation between the zones coupled with a minimum of non-treating areas on the drums.

A further object is to provide a relatively narrow'baflle positioned between liquid treating drums in which the upper edge of the baffle is curved to conform to the drum periphery, and is provided with narrow downwardly sloped flanges or lips.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a baflle or separator of the type described having on its lower edge oppositely disposed narrow gutters and means for directing liquid collected in said gutters in opposite separated paths.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional detail of a wash drum assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the structure of Fig. 1 as seen at 22,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged showing of the individual baflle and its operation, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the structure of Fig. 3.

The invention comprises essentially a specially shaped separating plate or baffle preferably formed of rigid polyvinyl chloride approximately A: of an inch thick and supported on metal or glass rods extending between the wash drums. The top of each baffle is somewhat curved and extends upwardly in the direction of rotation of the upper drum to a height somewhat greater than the opposite end of the bafile. This curved upper edge is also shaped so that two sloping eaves or flanges terminate in a sharp ridge or peak which locates the boundary between two liquid treating zones. The lower edge of each bafile is formed integrally with a gutter on each side of the baffle which is narrower than the flange on the top so that liquid dripping off the flange falls clear of the gutter on each side of the bafile. Drops of moisture which impinge against the flat side of the baffle run down into the gutter on each side and are directed back into their respective treating baths by means of canted extensions which carry the liquid well out into the baths beyond the separating bulkheads.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a conventional washer drum assembly comprises a pair of canted drums 10 and 11 which are cantilever mounted on shafts l2 and 13 respectively. The drums are encased in a housing or cover 14 which has a removable front section 15 and a plurality of compartmented sumps 16, 17 and 18. The different treating zones along the drums are defined and separated by bulkheads 19, 19 and narrow walls 20, 20 around the inside of casing 14. Each sump is provided with a fill-pipe 22 and a splasher 23 of the well-known type is positioned over each sump so that the treating liquid is sprayed onto the travelling yarn strands S, in line with each of the treating zones. The sprayers 23 are mounted on shaft 24 and are rotated in any suitable manner by means not shown.

In order to provide the maximum separation between the various sumps and treating zones, I utilize a plurality of bafiles 30, 30 which are adjustably supported on metal or glass rods 31, in turn held in sockets 32, 32.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the baflles or separators 30 have a main vertical wall or plate 33, and an upper arcuate edge which extends forward and upwardly as shown in Fig. 1 around the periphery of drum 10. A flange 34 with a downwardly sloping upper surface is preferably formed integrally with the upper arcuate edge of the baffle. This flange serves to collect and distribute liquid which drops or is flung from the periphery of drum 10 and to direct the liquid back into the particular sump from which it was originally pumped. The lower edge of baffle 30 is likewise generally curved to follow the shape of the lower drum 11, and this edge is provided with a narrow gutter 35, to collect and direct any liquid splashed against the side of the vertical wall 33, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The gutter 35 is substantially narrower than the flange 34 so that there is no danger that drops falling from the flange can be collected by the gutters. In the preferred form there is a flange and a gutter formed on either side of the wall 33. Whether single or double construction is employed depends upon the particular circumstances surrounding the use and location of the bafile. The forward terminus of each gutter is constructed to discharge liquid into an extension 35a of each gutter which extension flares in an axial direction to deposit all of the liquid collected by the gutters back into the particular bath from which it came. In this way any liquid carried past the bottom of drum 10 is not permitted to be flung off in an uncontrolled path thereby contaminating an adjacent bath or sump. This liquid is deflected as it falls off of the drum and directed to the general center area of the baffle, as shown in Fig. 4. It then falls down upon the lower drum 11. Any liquid that is splashed or sprayed against the wall 33 runs down along the wall and is collected in the gutter 35 to be distributed back on drum 11.

It will thus be understood that I have provided a simple but highly efiicient baffle or sprayer for wash drums which collects liquid carried around the periphery of the upper drum and which also prevents liquid from splashing or spraying endwise along the drums.

I claim:

1. A baffle for use between a pair of canted wash drums comprising a vertical wall having arcuate upper and lower edges, a sloping liquid deflecting flange along the upper edge of said wall, a gutter along the bottom edge of said wall, and a gutter extension leading oft from said gutter for discharging liquid collected in the gutter in a specific direction.

2. A yarn liquid treating assembly comprising a pair of cooperating upper and lower canted liquid treating drums, a pair of horizontally disposed rods mounted between the drums, a vertical separator slidably mounted on said rods for dividing the space between the drums into separate or. spaced zones, a sloping flange along the upper edge of said separator to provide a deflecting surface to direct liquid fiung from the upper drum into one of the spaced zones, a gutter along the lower edge of said separator, and means for directing liquid from the gutter on to the lower drum in spaced relation to the plane of the separator.

3. A bafiie for use between a pair of canted and cooperating upper and lower wash drums comprising a wall having arcuate upper and lower edges, a sloping liquid deflecting flange along each side of the upper edge of said wall, a gutter along each side of the bottom edge of said wall, and a gutter extension leading 01f from each of said gutters for discharging liquid collected in the gutters in specific directions.

i- 4. A bafile in accordance with claim 3 in which each gutter is substantially narrower than each flange.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including means for supporting the bafile between the drums.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

